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Former Player Appreciation Thread

Jurgen the German said:
Just read the BBC article. Not an easy read. Sadly I’m not sure if he will ever be the player he was for us for 3 years under poch but hopefully he can regain some sort of form and still go on to have a half decent middle and end to his career. But most importantly, hope he can get his head right and improve his mental well-being. That should be any person’s number 1 priority. Reading stories like this just hits home for me how there is no such thing as karma and I don’t believe “everything happens for a reason”. People don’t get what they deserve they just get what they get.
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I don't know, sounds like he has done a lot of thinking/work, not sure what part football plays in his future

- If he's rediscovered his love for the game, then there is a future in the game for him at some level
- But if he hasn't, hopefully he's understood his own mental state is more important that playing the game

Karma, destiny, purpose are all flimflam to help people cope with the sheer randomness/unfairness of life.
 
Raziel said:
I don't know, sounds like he has done a lot of thinking/work, not sure what part football plays in his future

- If he's rediscovered his love for the game, then there is a future in the game for him at some level
- But if he hasn't, hopefully he's understood his own mental state is more important that playing the game

Karma, destiny, purpose are all flimflam to help people cope with the sheer randomness/unfairness of life.
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I agree and I hope this almost reforms views of people who judge what is success based on the fact that behind every player is a person. If he gave up the game tomorrow and had a successful life as a happy people I would love to think people started to see that as success rather than putting questions on his career.

On the human side I really hope managers moving forward or those going into the game explore more of the idea that its humans first, players second, I get success is the main driving force behind the job but there should also be more to it, I don't buy the salary means otherwise. Public shaming, comments about being lazy and this barstool version of phycology spawned out the locker room is just not enough for some of the stuff you hear.
 
ricky2tricky4city said:
We probably had psychologists that the players could access as and when....but as Dele says when the time comes to really open your wounds and face the truth... no-one will drag that out of you...it'll be you yourself that takes that path
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Absolutely. And I'm guessing moving to Turkey will have helped. Completely removing yourself from the UK and also the life perspective of people in that part of the world and culture
 
Grays_1890 said:
Yeh i agree, im not a huge Neville fan but Dele obviously felt it was the best platform tonget his point over. Ive listened to it twice for me thats a huge take away and probably part of his journey, get the facts out there and control the narrative that's being controlled by others, proving in fact that the fear of showing your vulnerability is actually a much lesser evil than hiding and allowing crap to be written about you. Speaking about issues is in my opinion the major step yo any kind of recovery, he will feel a huge weight lifted and not to sound cheesy, today's the start of the rest of his life, there is nothing that can be said now that can harm him as the truth is now out and the reaction will be one of support and not shaming.

Go get em lad

As a conclusion to this all as I don't want to detract from what is an important thing about Dele, but I would love to think this might be a watershed moment for fans to get their heads out their own arses and think about what the truths might or at least reflect harder about what that might be before spouting bile based on weakly pieced together evidence from sources on social media. I have been on my soapbox a million times about a few facts not making every lie a truth and I really believe it, I also don't believe we own footballers or personalities to the level we believe we do in order to have the views we do, the whole paying the wages argument and fan rights in order to have some of the views we do is BS IMO. More empathy, more critical thinking, more rational thinking, less emotional driven agendas needed. Maybe we all, including myself learn more about humans with this
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Nice that he mentions Eric Dier as a support and a friend. Another player who's a lightning rod for disproportionate criticism and abuse.
I've not seen the Spurs documentary about him that's just been released but I believe that:
a) he talks for the first time about his health issues from a few seasons back
b) there's massive social media backlash from Spurs fans against him.

I'm going to be very careful what I write about Davinson Sanchez if he remains here and plays.
 
Wow. You could assume from stuff you'd read or heard about him that he had issues, but that was a heartbreaking watch.

Very happy for him to have gotten the help he needed. I would absolutely love to see him back at his best the coming season.

The part about Poch being a perfect fit for him as a manager also stuck with me. Confirms what we thought we knew about the Poch.
 
JerusalemMan said:
Nice that he mentions Eric Dier as a support and a friend. Another player who's a lightning rod for disproportionate criticism and abuse.
I've not seen the Spurs documentary about him that's just been released but I believe that:
a) he talks for the first time about his health issues from a few seasons back
b) there's massive social media backlash from Spurs fans against him.

I'm going to be very careful what I write about Davinson Sanchez if he remains here and plays.
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And that's a major take from the Dier thread, people unable to separate the human aspect from the "he is just a sh1t footballer" stuff. And when you try to add any balance you get pelters for it. You see a player jumping in the crowd to defend his brother it should tell you something, similarly to Sanchez having to leave social media for a time.

I'm conscious to going off piste but there is a fan element of spoilt entitled nature that I've touch upon which is contrary to thr idea of support, and it's leaked into opinions of Dele, Dier and massively Levy which is why I'm often maybe seen as a Levy lover rather than what I think is balance. Some of the utter hurtful garbage you read about people at the club based on lies and rumours about taking money out the club, purposely self harming, being tight and a parasite, all because some poor child like fans have been starved of enough attention or success. I personally think it's disgraceful and its been the same in many respects for Dele, half truths, lies and just the only fact that his footballs tailed off In order to cast judgement and abuse. Its not healthy IMO.
 
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ricky2tricky4city said:
The irony is....in the moment of standing up and facing your issues, the bravest act of all...you have to deal with the cesspit media bringing a whole bunch of other issues you just plain don't need in this moment. Sad.
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And, although he didn't want to fight it, he's fudging won that battle! fudge 'em.
That pointe towards him having good advocates now as well as being in a good place. Such a positive sign.
 
JerusalemMan said:
Nice that he mentions Eric Dier as a support and a friend. Another player who's a lightning rod for disproportionate criticism and abuse.
I've not seen the Spurs documentary about him that's just been released but I believe that:
a) he talks for the first time about his health issues from a few seasons back
b) there's massive social media backlash from Spurs fans against him.

I'm going to be very careful what I write about Davinson Sanchez if he remains here and plays.
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This is why the “fatso” comment about N’dombele tinkled me off the other day. Listen to how Dele felt the lazy characterisation stuck with him. It’s the same with all players. The media and fans build narratives of players that stick and can do real damage.

Edit: I should add the N’dombele thing is nothing against the person who posted it. We’ve all done it, I absolutely have done it but I think calling each other out is the only way to improve our collective behaviour as fans.
 
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tommysvr said:
This is why the “fatso” comment about N’dombele tinkled me off the other day. Listen to how Dele felt the lazy characterisation stuck with him. It’s the same with all players. The media and fans build narratives of players that stick and can do real damage.

Edit: I should add the N’dombele thing is nothing against the person who posted it. We’ve all done it, I absolutely have done it but I think calling each other out is the only way to improve our collective behaviour as fans.
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Yeh I have done it myself, I have said yesterday its q que for us all to change IMO. For Ndombele I will maintain that I don't think he has reached his potential but as from now I will leave the opinion as that. As you say its not right to speculate why or go down the route of being fat because in reality he isn't and its been a popular thing to say, many times in jest.

I honestly think its time for all fans to reel it in TBH, people won't wanna hear it but I think it clear now. The booing at games, the "you're sh17" being screamed out, its just not on, it never was. Thinking a players poor for performances is one thing, I do it myself and I don't think thats unfair based on performances, going beyond that to further discredit, call them names for it, link it to weak online rumours or articles in the sun, na....
 
I've been building this site as a bit of a hobby project for the past year: https://thfcdb.com

I've been going through the painstaking process of adding formations/positions for each match and looking back on some of those teams amazes me. Ramos in particular was absolutely all over the place with his team selections. Take this match away to Arsenal: https://thfcdb.com/matches/2007-08/arsenal-fc-22-dec-2007#lineup:

Paul Robinson
Teemu Tainio
Pascal Chimbonda
Younès Kaboul
Young-Pyo Lee
Aaron Lennon
Kevin-Prince Boateng
Jamie O'Hara
Steed Malbranque
Dimitar Berbatov
Robbie Keane
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A back 4 of Tainio Chimbonda Kaboul YPL, with Boateng and O'Hara in front of them. Yet somehow we only lost 2-1 and actually should have gone up 2-1 but Keane missed a penalty.

I understand this is the former player appreciation thread...seeing this sort of thing really makes me appreciate the teams we've had over the past decade in particular. Looking at the transition from Ramos to Redknapp the thing that stands out is that Redknapp picked the best players in their best positions. Football can be so easy.
 
tommysvr said:
I've been building this site as a bit of a hobby project for the past year: https://thfcdb.com

I've been going through the painstaking process of adding formations/positions for each match and looking back on some of those teams amazes me. Ramos in particular was absolutely all over the place with his team selections. Take this match away to Arsenal: https://thfcdb.com/matches/2007-08/arsenal-fc-22-dec-2007#lineup:



A back 4 of Tainio Chimbonda Kaboul YPL, with Boateng and O'Hara in front of them. Yet somehow we only lost 2-1 and actually should have gone up 2-1 but Keane missed a penalty.

I understand this is the former player appreciation thread...seeing this sort of thing really makes me appreciate the teams we've had over the past decade in particular. Looking at the transition from Ramos to Redknapp the thing that stands out is that Redknapp picked the best players in their best positions. Football can be so easy.
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Must have been injuries to pick that back line though?
 
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